New York has become the first US city to introduce congestion charges for traffic, which has led some to ask - should Dublin do the same?
A number of other cities around the world, including London and Stockholm, have introduced charges to reduce congestion in the city.
Ireland, Dublin, Wexford Street. Image: AlamyOn Newstalk Breakfast, presenter Shane Coleman said that public transport should improve before bringing in these charges.
“I don’t think it’s time yet for congestion charges – I think it will happen at some point,” he said.
“I do think we need to improve public transport and I’m hoping BusConnects is going to make a radical difference.
“I think it probably will if people let it, and stop objecting to it.
“People don’t like change, and they struggle with change, but I think extra Luas lines, maybe with the metro eventually coming in ... [and] with better bus services, I think ultimately you’re going to have it.”
Climate action
Fellow presenter Ciara Kelly said that while we certainly have to take action on climate change, she would object to these charges.
“We’re hitting people with charges because they’re not doing what we want - but we haven’t made it possible for them to do what we want,” she said.
“To me, we are coming at this constantly from the wrong side, that we want people to do climate change sort of things because it’s the ‘good’ or ‘the right thing’ to do – when they should just make it the easy thing to do.
“If they don’t, they can’t expect to bring people with them.”
However, Shane pointed out that sitting in traffic for an hour would probably cost a lot in petrol.
Featured image: Cyclists and cars using Dublin City Roads, Leah Farrell/© RollingNews.ie
